Market Square

In 1749, two half-acre lots were reserved for a marketplace and town hall. The Farmers' Market, the oldest continuously running market in the country, is held every Saturday from 5:00am to 10:30am year-round.

Minnie Howard Field

During the school year the Minnie Howard School holds its gym classes on the playing field, and in the evening the Alexandria Soccer Association has regularly scheduled soccer practice. The T.C. Williams girls field hockey and men's and women's lacrosse teams also use the field.

Old Town Pool

The Old Town Pool is adjacent to the Durant Recreation Center to the east and Buchanan Park to the north. The adult pool is 25 meters. A handicap accessible wading pool with a 900 square foot area is also on site. There is a bath house on the Cameron Street side of the pool.

Nannie J. Lee Center

The multi-purpose fields, primarily used for soccer, football, and little league softball/baseball, are located on the north side of the building. South of the building are two lighted tennis courts, basketball courts, a volleyball court, and a mini-playground with sitting area.

The "Nannie J. Lee" recreation center is located at east wing of the building. The center is named for the late Nannie J. Lee, a community activist who was instrumental in the development of recreational activities for the children in the southwest area of Alexandria. She was also a key advocate and supporter towards the building and establishing of the recreation center.

Interactive Fountain
The Potomac Yard Park Interactive Fountain, located between the two playgrounds, features thirty-six water jets, including twelve laminar jets which shoot a stream of water between two troughs and lighting at the jets for nighttime effects. The fountain offers three programmable sequences, and sensors control the water jet height based on the wind speed in the area adjusting the jets accordingly. For added public safety, the fountain features a secondary ultraviolet water treatment system. The fountain supports the City's Eco-City Initiative by treating and recycling water resulting in reduced water use.

Hours of Operation: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend)

Fountain Rules:

No lifeguard on Duty. Adult supervision is required at all times for children age 12 and under.

No pets or animals are allowed in the fountain area.

No skateboards, roller blades, or bikes are allowed in the fountain.

No beach furniture or water toys are allowed in the fountain area.

No food, drink, or glass containers are allowed in the fountain area.

Do not allow trash, human waste, or blood to enter the fountain.

Do not drink the water.

Appropriate swimwear must be worn at all times. Shoes/non-slip water shoes must be worn at all times.

Children not toilet trained must wear swim diapers.

Any person having an obvious skin disease, nasal or ear discharge, inflamed eye, or any communicable disease with symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting shall be excluded from the facility.

Do not climb on the fountain equipment.

Emergencies: Call 9-1-1

The Alexandria City Council dedicated the first phase of this regional park located in Potomac Yard on December 14, 2013. The park was designed and constructed through a public-private partnership with Pulte Homes.

The park will be constructed in multiple phases. The new athletic fields adjacent to Simpson Park are complete, as is main portion of the park from E. Glebe Road to Monroe Avenue. Later phases will include a multi-use trail with fitness stations between Monroe Avenue and Braddock Road, and a stormwater management pond at E. Glebe Road.

Rivergate City Park

The majority of Rivergate Park is owned by the Rivergate Owners Association with permanent public access to the waterfront park area. This park is part of a system of linear parks along Alexandria's waterfront.

Rynex Nature Area

Prior to the Civil War, the area in which Rynex Park and Dora Kelley Park now reside was called Lebanon, named after the Lebanon Union Church previously on site. The church was burned to the ground in retaliation for the Union Army's loses at the Battle of Bull Run. Today, the cemetery, which is maintained by the Parks Division, is all that remains of where the Lebanon Union church once stood.